The Sweet-Smelling Letter

Night had come, and the moon was out.

Dudu the owl put on his little cap—

Nighttime is when Dudu goes to work.

Dudu opened the mailbox.

Tonight there were lots of letters.

"Hmm?"

The one on the very top

smelled... kind of sweet?

Dudu picked up the letter and took a sniff.

"Mmm—"

Sweet and warm,

like cookies fresh out of the oven!

On the envelope, in wibbly-wobbly letters, it said—

"To... Doudou... beside the pumpkin patch."

Another one for Doudou, the little field mouse!

And in the corner was a drawing

of one round little cookie.

"But who sent it?"

Dudu couldn't think who.

"That's okay. I'll find out when I get there!

Goodnight letters, away we go!"

Dudu flapped his wings and flew up into the night sky.

The sweet, sweet smell

drifted out of his mail bag

and followed Dudu all the way.

Dudu's tummy went—

Grumble—just once.

"The pumpkin patch—we're here!"

"Knock, knock, Doudou!

There's a letter for you, and it smells so sweet!"

Doudou came scurrying out, hugging the little moon lamp.

"A sweet-smelling letter?"

Doudou took a sniff—

"Wow! It smells like cookies!"

Doudou opened the letter.

Inside was a drawing—

a great big picnic blanket,

a great big sun,

two good friends holding hands,

and lots and lots of cookies all around.

"Plip."

Out of the letter

fell one real little cookie!

In the corner of the letter

was a drawing of a little fawn

with little white spots on her back.

"It's Niuniu!" said Doudou.

"Niuniu wants me to come to a picnic tomorrow!"

Doudou took a bite of the little cookie—

crunchy and sweet.

"Mmm, so yummy!"

"Dudu, I want to write back right away!"

Doudou picked up a crayon,

drew a big smiley face,

and a great big pumpkin, too.

"I'll be there for sure!

I'm bringing a pumpkin to the picnic!"

Dudu tucked the letter into his mail bag:

"Goodnight letters, away we go!"

At the edge of the maple woods

stood a little wooden cottage.

It was so late, but the light was still on.

Dudu had only knocked once—

"Knock—"

when the door went "creeeak" and swung open!

Niuniu the little fawn poked her head out,

eyes shining bright:

"Dudu! Is that Doudou's letter?

Is he coming? Is he coming?"

Niuniu opened the letter—

a big smiley face,

and a great big pumpkin.

"He's coming! He's coming!"

Niuniu was so happy she hopped and hopped,

thump, thump, thump!

Dudu smiled and said:

"Niuniu, it's so late.

Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Niuniu said:

"I can't sleep!

I lie down, and then I sit right back up.

I keep thinking about the picnic, and the cookies, and Doudou.

My heart goes bump-bump-bump.

Why isn't it tomorrow yet?"

Dudu gave Niuniu a gentle pat.

"When you want tomorrow to hurry up and come,

and your heart goes bump-bump-bump, all sweet and fizzy—

that feeling is called excited."

Niuniu tilted her head:

"Excited?

Oh... so I'm excited about tomorrow!"

Dudu nodded and smiled.

Niuniu said, in a small, small voice:

"But my heart keeps going bump-bump-bump,

and my eyes just won't close..."

Dudu leaned in close to Niuniu's ear

and whispered:

"I know a secret

that makes tomorrow come the fastest, fastest way of all."

"What secret?"

Dudu said:

"Close your eyes, and drift off to sleep.

The moment you open them—

it's tomorrow!"

Niuniu lay down.

Dudu took Doudou's letter

and slipped it gently under her pillow.

"Tomorrow, the moment you open your eyes,

Doudou's letter will be the first thing you see."

Outside the window, Mr. Cloud came floating over

and softly covered the bright, bright moon.

The room turned soft and dim.

Dudu said:

"Come on, let's count cookies together.

Breathe in—breathe out—.

One cookie..."

"Two cookies...

three cookies..."

Niuniu's voice

got smaller and smaller, slower and slower...

"Four...

fi..."

Zzz—zzz—

Niuniu was fast asleep,

with a little smile still on her face.

Dudu closed the door,

softly, ever so softly.

"Now off I go with the rest of the letters."

All the letters were delivered.

Dudu flew back to the post office and took off his little cap.

Mr. Cloud floated back up into the sky,

and in the forest, the lights went out, one by one.

In her dreams, Niuniu

was already at the picnic.

Goodnight, Niuniu.

Goodnight, Doudou.

Goodnight, you—listening to this story.